Cattle-chute



Patented Feb. 28, |899.l U.. BHUTUN.

CATTLE CHUTE.

(Application led. Dec. 11, 1397.) (No Modal.) l

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No.A 620,099,

Patented Feb. 2a, |999. u.v BnuToN. CATTLE CHUTE.

(Application led Dec. 11, v1897.)

2 Sheets-Shut 2 (No Model.)

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UNITED l STATES PATENT OFFICE.

QUALLS BRUTON, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

CATTLE-CHUTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,099, dated February28, 1899.

Application filed December 1l, 1897. Serial No. 661,507. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LQUALLS BRUToN,of Kansas City, Wyandotte county,Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brandingand Dehorning Cattle- Chutes, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to branding and de-` horning cattle-chutes, andmore particularly to structural improvements in the device ot'.y

like character on which a patent was issued to me on November 17,1896,numbered 571,428'.

The invention consists incertain novel and 'peculiar features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter describedand claimed.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevationof a branding and dehorning cattle-chute embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view of the same. Fig. Ilis a View taken on the line IV IV of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view ofapart of the chute to illustrate more clearly the bar for preventing theanimal from backing once he is secured in the required position.

In the said drawings, l designates a cattlechute of the usual form,comprising the customary posts 2 and longitudinal rails 3, connectingthe same. The posts 2 are also preferably connected at their upper endsby the transverse brace-bars 4. At one side and near its outlet end thechute is preferably formed with an opening by cutting away theintermediate rails 3 and securin g them to a vertical post 5, alsosecured to the top and bottom rails in any suitable manner. The openingbetween the post 5 and the adjacent corner or end post of the chute isdivided horizontally by the bar 6, so that certain parts hereinafterdescribed may occupy said openings. Near the inlet or opposite end andat the opposite side of the chute a post 7 is erected, and secured tosaid post and at their opposite ends to the alined posts 2 at the sameside of the chute are a pair of rails S, which serve not onlyto bracesaid` post, but also to strengthen that side of the chute, as theintermediate rails at said side of the chute are very short, extendingonly from the adjacent post 2 at the inlet end of the chute to saidpost7, (see Fig. 5,) and consequently leave an opening in that side of thechute bounded by the post 7 and the post 2 at the opposite end of thechute 'and by the top rails 3 8 and the bottorn rails 3 8,this openingcorresponding to the f opening 6 in the aforesaid patent, but being ofmuch greater length. 4As the size of this A opening has no bearing onthe merits of the case it is not specially illustrated. In order tostill further solidify and strengthen the parallel top rails 3 8 andbottom rails 3 8, I secure between them blocks 9, only one of which isshown.

A swinging frame corresponding to the frame 1l in my patent referred tocomprises the vertical angle-irons 10 ll, the connectingrails 12, andthe brace-bar 13, connecting said rails near their middle. A rod 14,preferably Vof gas-pipe, also connects the angle-irons near the lowerend of the frame and in conjunction with a bar, hereinafter referred to,is adapted to prevent an animal caught in the chute from falling down orfrom getting down on his knees, and consequently for obviating anychance of his getting his legs broken. This longitudinal frame is hingedby a link l5 to the hinge-rods 16, secured at the opposite end of thechute to the posts 2 at the same side as the post 7. Alink 17 ispivotally connected to the opposite end of the frame and is hinged, asat 18, to the top and bottom rails 3, bounding the vupper and lowersides of the large opening hereinbefore referred to. The pivotalconnection at 18 to the bars preferably will be like the pivotalconnection 16 in order that the links may be removed bodily -withoutlirst requiring the removal of the IOO the clamp-f rame, when thrown tothe position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and full lines, Fig. 5,occupy the position shown in the lastmentioned ligure, where it will benoticed the free end of the bar 19 projects across the space between theclamp-frame and vsaid opposite side of the chute, and therefore preventsthe steer backing or working backward if from any cause he is notclamped tight enough to hold him.

21 designates a rack-bar secured at its inner end to the adjacent end otthe clamp-frame and having one of its teeth located at its nndcr sideadapted to engage the bar 22, which is of inverted-U shape and issecured at its opposite ends to the post 7, thereby providing a verticalslot within which the rack-bar may rise and fall or be longitudinallyadjusted. The outer end of the rack-bar is not provided with teeth, tothe end that it may normally rest lightly upon the roller while engagedwith the bar 22. Said roller is arranged in a pivoted frame 24, carriedby the post 7, in order that it may be raised when it is desired todisconnect the rack-bar 21 and bar 22 or lowered to permit such bars tobe engaged. The roller and the outer end of said frame are normallysupported in a horizontal position by means of a bail 25, carried byapendent link 26 of a lever 27, pivoted in the upper end of the post 7and extending transversely across the chute. The opposite end of saidlever is linked to the lever 2S, pivoted, as at 29, to the chute, sothat by the depression of said lever the roller may be elevated and therack-bar 21 disengaged from the bar 22 for a purpose hereinafter eX-plaincd, and 30 designates a bar secured to lever 2S and over-hangingthe post 5.

31 designates a Vertical guide eye or sleeve secured to post 5 near itsupper end, and inward of said guide eye or sleeve and in verticalalinement with each other are 4two sets of eyes, one set 32 beingarranged some distance above the other set 33 for a purpose which willpresently appear.

34 designates a sliding bolt which extends through the guide eye orsleeve 31 and is provided at its upper end with a depending arm 35 andat its lower end with a longitudinallyalined arm 36, the former beingadapted to engage the eyes 32 and the latter the eyes 33, and saidsliding bolt is linked at its upper end, as shown at 37, to the bar 30of the lever 28 o1' in any other suitable manner.

A gate forclosing the outlet end of the chuten is hinged, as shown at38, to the rod 39, carried by the angle-bar 10 of the clamping-f rameand is bifurcated centrally or provided with an opening, as shown at 40,through which the head of the steer may and is adapted to protrude. Thatportion of the gate above said bifurcation or opening 40 consists of twosections 41 and 42, hinged together at their middle, as shown at 43, orin any other suitable manner. The lower portion of the gate,comprisingthe parts 44 and 45, are alsohin ged together at their middle,as shown at 46, or in an equivalent manner. The member 42 is formed witha lateral extension 47, having a vertical eye or opening, and the member45 is provided with a similar extension 48, having an eye or opening,and these extensions are adapted to iit between the guide-eyes 32 and33, respectively, to the end that the arms 35 and 36 of the sliding bolt34 may extend through them, and thus lock or Secure the gate at its freeend.

49 designates a longitudinal bar secured internally to the chute at theside against which the steer is clamped bythe clam p-framc and adaptedto operate, as hereinbefore stated, in conjunction with the rod 14 forkeeping the animal upon his feet. At the rear end of this bar is a shortvertical bai 50, which is adapted to prevent the free end of the bar 19swinging too far forward, as the relation between the bars 19 and 2Oshould always be such that there will be no opposition from this quarterto the return movement of the clam pframe to its normal or inoperativeposition.

The parts now to be described relate to means for securing the steershead as it protrudes between the opening or bifurcation 40 from movinglaterally and is entirely different from the means by which I accomplishthe same purpose in my patent hereinbefore referred to.

51 designates a bar which is secured to the post 2 at the outlet end ofthe machine and at the side against which the animal is clamped, thoughthis bar is not absolutely necessary.

52 designates a frame, preferably of invertedU shape, which is securedto the bar 51 opposite the opening or bifurcation 40 and projectsinwardly therefrom, and'53 a jawpad secured to said frame. 54 designatesa plate which overlaps said frame and may be secured thereto in anysuitable manner and to the post 51, also serving to form between saidbar and said plate a vertical guide-slot to receive certain partshereinafter described, and projecting from the upper end of said plateis a guide-eye 55. 56 is a link which pivotally connects said plate anda substantially Sshaped lever 57, said lever being provided with ajaw-pad 5S, adapted to coperate with the pad 53 in securing the animalshead in the required position, one pad being adapted to engage one sideof the head and the other the opposite side. 58 designatesa pair ofbrackets which are secured to the opposite faces of the posts 2 and 51,if the latter are employed,and project outwardly therefrom. One of theseframes only appears in the drawings, and they are connected at theirouter ends by a rod 59, upon which is mounted the separating-sleeve 60.61 designates a pivoted bail which is mounted at the upper end of saidpost 2 and bar 51 and is adapted to engage and hold snugly against theouter sides of said posts the levers 62 and 63, the lower portions ofsaid levers being in the forln of forks 62n and 63, the arms of IOO IIO

which are connected by cross-pins 64 and 65,

respectively.

66 and 67 designate segment-shaped rackbars which extend through thebifurcated portions 62n and 63a, respectively, and are pivoted, as shownin dotted lines at 66u in Fig. 3, to pins projecting from posts 2 and51. AThe gravitative tendency of these pivoted rack-bars canse them toengage the crosspins 64 and 65 of the levers 62 and 63, said teeth beingof ratchet-tooth formation, in order that said levers may be pivotallyoperated in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 3, withoutimpediment, but not in the opposite direction unless said rack-bars arelifted and held in such position until the levers can be thrown back totheir original yposition, in which they are normally held by the bail61, in order to hold them out of danger of breakage by contact withpassing vehicles.

68 designates a rope which is secured in any suitable manner to thelever 57 adjacent to the pad 58 and then extends through the guide-eye55 and is secured to the lever 62, as shown at 69, or in any othersuitable manner. The opposite end of said rope extends through anopening 70 of the post 2 and is attached, as at 72, to said post- Therope is of sufficient length to form a loop, which may extend clearacross the chute inclosing the opening 40 and hang upon a pin or hook73, to the end that when the steer sticks his head through the openingor bifurcation 40 of the gate he will also project it through said loopand incidentally between the jaw-pads 53 and 58.

In practice the loop is preferably supported, for the purpose explained,as shown in Fig. 3 or in an equivalent manner, the free ends of thebifurcated gate being secured or locked by the bolt 34 and theclamp-frame occupying the position shown in full lines, Fig. 2. A steeris then driven in the customary manner through the chute, and as hereaches the front end attempts to escape through the opening orbifurcation 40, as seen in Fig. 4. The force with which he rushesagainst said gate causes the clamp-frame to swing to the position shownin dotted lines and press him tightly against the opposite side of thechute, so that his head will project not onlythrough the loop, but alsobetween the jaw-pads hereinbefore referred to, it being understood, of

course, that as the clamp-frame swings tosuch position the rack-bar ispulled inwardly and by engagement with the bar 22 automatically locksthe frame in its new position, the bar 19 preventing the steer frombacking,ashereinbefore explained. Theoperator, the bail 6l beingpreviouslydisengaged from the levers, grasps the lever 63 and throws itin the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 3, until the loop (iirstdisengaged from the pin 73) encircles tightly his neck or head justbehind the horns and presses it against the pad 53, the automaticengagement of the rack-bar 67 holding the lever in such position whenreleased. He then manipulates the leverl 62 in the same way, therebycausing the pad 58 to press firmly against the oppo- Asite side of thejaw. As the manipulation of the lever 62 naturally loosens the ropeslightly, due to the new posit-ion of thelever 57, he immediatelythereafter or at lthe same time throws the lever 63 a little farther, sothat the rope shall be clamped tightly around the animals head or neck.The steer being thus firmly secured, thel horns can now be removed or hemay be branded or otherwise operated upon in the customary manner, thelarge opening in the chute permitting the operator access Vto the flankor other point where the brand is to be applied due to the fact that theclamp-frame is of skeleton form and permits the body of the animal tobulge or protrude slightly through it. When ythe animal is clamped inposition, it will be noticed lthat the members 42 and 45 of the gateoccupy a position almost at right angles to the parts 41 and 44 andprotrude through the openings formed above and below the partition-bar6, hereinbeforepreferred to. After the animal is operated upon asdesired the operator grasps and throws the levers 62 and 63 to theiroriginal position, first, however, throwing the loop off the animalshead and toone side--that is, to the side occupied by said lever. I-Iethen manipulates the lever 28, so as to simultaneously disengage therack 21 and bar 22 and the bolt 34 from the extensions 47 48 of thebifurcated gate, and immediately this takes place the clamp-frame underthe pressure exerted by the animals body in its confined position swingsoutwardly and to the rear. The animal instinctively as he feels himselffree pushes forward and thereby causes the said gate to swing to theopposide of the chute and out of his path. Ashe escapes the parts arereassembled, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 and in'part ofFig. 3, and the chute is ready to receive the next steer.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a branding and dehornin g cattle-chute, a jaw or headclamp,consisting of a fixed member to engage one side of the jaw or headof the animal, a removable member to engage the opposite side of the jawor head, a lever to operate said movable member, and means to securesaid lever at the required point of adjustment. A

2. In a branding and dehorningcattle-ohute, a jaw or headclamp,consisting ofaixed member to engage one side of the jaw or head ofthe animal, a movable member to engage the opposite side of the jaw orhead, a lever to operate said movable member, and a pawl-andratchetmechanism to secure said lever at the required point of adjustment.

3. In a branding and dehorning cattle-chute, a jaw or head clampconsisting of a fixed mem- IOO IIO

ber to engage one side of the jaw or head of the animal, a movablemember to engage the Opposite side of the jaw or head, aleversuitablymounted and provided with a slot or bifurcation, apin bridging saidbifurcation, and a segmental rack-bar, suitably pivoted, eX- tendingthrough the slot or bifurcation of said lever and automatically engagingsaid pin, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a branding and dehorning cattle-chute, a jaw or headclamp,consisting of a fixed member to engage one side of the jaw or headof the animal, a movable member to engage the opposite side of the jawor head, a rope secured to the operative end of the movable member andto a fixed part of the chute, and arranged between said fixed point andthe movable member in the form of a loop to inclose the space betweenthe members of said jaw or head clamp, a pair of levers, one of themsecured to the opposite end of the rope,

and the other provided with an eye through which said rope extendsbetween its point of engagement with the chute and said movable member,and means to secure said levers at the required points of adjustment,substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a branding and dehorning cattle-chute, of aswinging clampframe, a hinged gate at its outlet end, and means tosecure the free end of the gate to the opposite side of the chute, of abar pivoted near its middle to the opposite end of said frame, and alink pivotally connecting said bar with a ixed point at the side of thechute corresponding to that to which the gate is hinged, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

QUALLS BRUTON.

Witnesses:

G. Y. THORPE, M. R. REMLEY.

